Two children rushed to hospital after RDP house burns in eMbalenhle

eMBALENHLE – The Mahlangu family of Ext 18, eMbalenhle is still in shock after their RDP house caught on fire on Tuesday morning, August 3.

A one-year-old baby and a four-year-old toddler were rushed to Evander Hospital after inhaling smoke.

According to their father, Mr Jacob Mahlangu, he was at work when he received a call that his house was on fire.

He rushed home and found his neighbours trying to extinguish the fire and to remove the remaining furniture from the house.

“When I ask of the whereabouts of my wife and two children, I was told they had been rushed to the hospital because my children inhaled smoke. They were hiding under the bed when the fire started,” he said.

Mr Mahlangu’s wife told him that she had gone to find water to make food for their children because the municipality’s water shutdown left the taps dry.

“She locked the children in the house. She was not even gone an hour and upon her return, she was surprised to see the neighbours scurrying to extinguish the fire in our house.

“The fire was spreading from our living room to the kitchen,” Mr Mahlangu explained.

“The neighbours began looking for the children and eventually found them crying under the bed in our bedroom.

“I am relieved they are alive. We always read stories of children dying in fires here in eMbalenhle,” said Mr Mahlangu.

He is waiting for his wife and children to return home to get a clearer explanation of what had happened.

Although residents blame the electricity problems in eMbalenhle for the fire, Mr Mahlangu suspects a heater in the house.

Ms Anita Mkhwebane, DA-councillor, said it is not good for residents to leave electrical appliances on when the electricity is off because it put their lives in danger.

“Since winter began, many people lost their properties and lives through municipal load-shedding.

“We were promised that once the Bracken mobile transformer is installed, we will see a difference in the electricity situation here in eMbalenhle, but it seems to have gone from bad to worse.

“Now residents are experiencing load-shedding even when it is hot.”

Ms Mkhwebane is questioning the load-shedding because it still occurs, even in areas already connected to the mobile transformer.

Mr Donald Green, acting head of communications at the Govan Mbeki Municipality, said the situation will be better once all connection phases at Bracken mobile transformer are completed.

“Even the residents are beginning to tell us that in other extensions the situation has improved.

“Our electricians are always on the ground attending to electricity problems at eMbalenhle,” said Mr Green.